THERE WILL BE HORRIBLE WRECKS

A two lane road through a populated residential area of town has new speed limit signs. They state, "Drive At A Speed That Feels Right To You." That I made up, but, really, this is the philosophy drilled into the current generation: Make life choices based on what feels right to you. As I read this morning's newspaper, I was stirred all over again about the evident dire consequences of our society's rejecting absolute truths in favor of the post-modernist mentality that each has his own subjective truth. Disturbingly, I also detect this post-modernist philosophy of each-has-his-own-truth-there-are-no-absolutes when I have the opportunity to address groups of church youth. I ask a question, "Specifically, what would you list as sins a Christian should not commit." Usually, the youth sit puzzled or fearful to suggest specific sins. Our society has succeeded in influencing and cowing even "Christian youth" into to thinking no one has a right to say something is right or wrong for everybody--that would be judgmental, narrow minded, bigoted. And, it is here where our society misses the point: Our current society says that, if I declared something wrong, for everyone, that I, as a Christian, am trying to apply and enforce my personal, individual truth on other people. How can I do that? My individual truth, it says, has no more validity or lack of validity than anybody else's. What this wrongheadedness misses is this: If I believe in absolutes, I am not trying to apply and enforce my individual truth on everybody else; I am simply acknowledging an absolute truth that is applicable to me and everybody else. What about that two lane road through a populated area where the speed limit of the road is left to each's decision on how fast or slow each thinks he should drive? You may be going 85 mph on this busy street. I tell you that you are going too fast; you should go 35 mph. If you believe that going 85 mph is right for you, who am I to tell you that you are going too fast? You could tell me that I am being judgmental. If there is no set speed limit, you would be correct in that conclusion. However, if there is a posted speed limit of 35 mph, and you are going 85 mph, I am not being judgmental to say that you and anyone else that goes 85 mph is driving too fast. I am not being judgmental to say that you are speeding. Why? The 35 mph speed limit is not just my personal belief. As far as that road, it is the absolute. Sadly, many "Christian" youth have been influenced not to think in terms of absolutes, truths that are applicable to everyone. That is why, when I ask them to list sins, the list is short. Usually, they will not even offer that pre-marital sex is sin, because many in society personally believe that it is acceptable; therefore, to list it as wrong would be trying to impose a personal belief on others; it would be judgmental. No wonder so many "Christians" live no differently than the world around them. Just as, if the speed limit of that road through town is left to whatever people think it should be, there would be horrible wrecks and awful causalities, so it is and will increasingly be when our society leaves it to each individual to choose what his truth will be.